I still do not own the Kids Next Door. But feel free to join me in loving them.
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The tree house was a welcome sight for the weary warriors. The door to the main room flew open with the cheers of the victorious quintet. Numbuh 4 recalled, punch for punch, the battle with the Delightfuls to his leader, who seemed lost in thoughts of his own. But the fighter was too absorbed in his prideful retelling to notice. Numbuh 2 listed all the pizza toppings he wanted with Numbuhs 3 and 5 lending their agreement or displeasure.
"Ooh, let's get meatballs and pepperoni!" Numbuh 3 jumped onto the couch with a smile.
"Sounds good to me!" Numbuh 2 agreed with joy, sitting down next to her, scooping up the remote control and turning on cartoons. Numbuh 5 went to the phone to order their pie while Numbuh 4 mounted the recliner and opened a comic book. Before absorbing himself into the graphic novel, the blond noticed his still silent leader observe the group with mild disinterest before heading for his room.
"Hey Numbuh 1, aren't ya gunna 'ang out with us?" he asked.
The bald one didn't turn.
"I have things to do." He replied. "Important things."
"Aw, can't they wait?" Numbuh 2 whined, "You deserve a rest after fighting Father."
"No."
The tone was serious, the word was succinct, before protest could form he was gone. The sound of a door slam echoed through the wooden room.
"Somebody's got his undies in a bunch." Numbuh 3 huffed with disappointment.
"Ah, he's always workin' on sumthin'." Numbuh 5 dismissed, sitting next to her friend. "Last week he was all obsessed wit that new adult detection grid he helped install on KND moon base."
"Gotta admit that was pretty cool." Numbuh 2 interrupted. "We don't have to worry about anyone over 13 sneaking into moon base anymore."
"Yeah! Any adult gets in that grid an' whammo! Every agent with ears knows 'e's there." Numbuh 4 excitedly added. "Numbuh 1's a genius fa thinkin' that up."
"Too bad he's always so busy." Two sighed sadly.
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Eyes focused on the blueprints, every detail of the schematic being committed to memory. The knock on the door was an unwelcome annoyance.
"What?" an irritated British accent grumbled.
"Pizza's here Numbuh 1." Numbuh 3's voice chirped from behind the door.
"I don't have time for pizza." The boy's voice answered back. "I'm very busy."
Kuki opened the door, her face beaming with a huge, enticing grin.
"But it's super duper cheesy!" She skipped to his side, grabbing his hand, trying to lead him out of the room and away from the blueprints of Kids Next Door moon base that he was so intensely studying. "Come on, pretty please!"
The hand snatched itself away.
"Stop bothering me."
Kuki's lip quivered. Numbuh 1's sunglass hidden eyes narrowed angrily.
"Fine Mr. Grumpy pants." She crossed her arms, turning to leave. "Be that way."
Her sleeve- covered hand took the knob. His voice suddenly stammered from behind her.
"Numbuh 3, wait!"
She turned. His eyes were oddly pale, wide open like something had startled him. She curiously watched his lips fumble as if he couldn't make his words come out. He shuttered and gritted his teeth, the stern look returning to his features.
"Numbuh 1?" She cocked her head.
He adjusted his shirt collar, acting as if the spasm had never happened. He smiled cunningly at her.
"I'll join you guys later."
A grin returned to her peachy face.
"Kay!" She then skipped merrily back to the kitchen where a cheesy slice of pepperoni pizza was waiting for her on a paper plate. Her teammates watched her a moment as she took a bite with bubbly vigor.
"'E's not comin'?" Numbuh 4 inquired.
"He was busy." She replied after swallowing. "He said he'd come later."
"Man, what's he doin' dat's mo' important then takin' a pizza break?" Numbuh 5 shook her head before taking a long sip of soda.
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Blue eyes flickered yellow as they landed on the location desired. The diagram on the blueprint was just what he was looking for. It was perfect. The plan was moving like clockwork. Abandoning the papers, he headed for the main room of the tree house for the next step.
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"You've known Numbuh 1 the longest Numbuh 5." Numbuh 2 popped a meatball into his mouth, not bothering to swallow before he continued. "Was he always like this?"
Abby sighed, removing the straw from her lips.
"He's Numbuh 1, not a book." She played with the bill of her cap. "You can't predict him. One minute he's our fearless leader, next he's actin' like a normal kid."
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Halfway there, legs began to fight back, refusing to move. He snarled and enforced control, entering the empty area.
A sad whimper escaped as a cruel smile was forced to the lips.
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Hoagie gulped his root beer, about to take another slice of pizza when a foreign smell wafted through his senses.
"Hey, do you guys smell smoke?"
The others put down their slices and sniffed the air.
"It smells like it's comin' from the briefing room!" Numbuh 5 shouted, jumping from her seat.
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They rushed into the room and almost fell back as the wall of intense heat overcame them. The briefing room was wrought with flames rampaging, consuming all 2X4 technology in its path.
"Fiah!" Numbuh 4 exclaimed near panicking.
"Why didn't the alarm go off?" Numbuh 2 chocked, searching for the fire extinguisher that for some reason was not in its proper place.
With Numbuhs 2, 3, and 4 scrambling around frantically behind her, Numbuh 5 almost didn't see the figure standing amongst the flames.
"Numbuh 1!" She shouted over the crackling fervor, "Stay there! Numbuh 2's gettin' the fire extinguisher!"
The figure in the blaze turned towards her. It was eerily calm behavior for someone surrounded by fire. Simply standing there, as pieces of the building started disintegrating to ash.
"I can't find it! And the sprinkler system isn't responding!" Numbuh 2 called from a console furthest from the heat.
"Why the crud not?" Numbuh 4 pulled his hair nervously. The thought of his beloved home reduced to cinders causing his heart to pound wildly with fear.
"Because, I turned it off."
All heads turned to the composed voice amid the blaze.
"What?" The blond squeaked.
Numbuh 1 began walking slowly towards them. The fire licking his body but consuming nothing as he made his way into the open area. A prideful malice in his smile.
"How else is this place supposed to burn to the ground?"
The Australian's heart stopped and sank quickly to his stomach as a confused lump formed in his throat. This couldn't be true.
"Numbuh 1?" He stammered. "You, you started this fiah?" Tears threatened, "Why?" His fist clenched, "WHY?!"
The heat of his face rivaled that of the fire in his mind. Ping-pong emotions wreaked havoc in his heart. His leader, his friend, his hero, his role model... betraying them all...
"Because, that isn't Numbuh 1!" Numbuh 5 growled, pointing with one hand at the accused and forming a fist with the other. Her chocolate eyes narrowing with hate. "It's Father..."
The remaining operatives gasped, her observation suddenly making everything clear. A deep, mature voice, mixed with an accented child's, spoke.
"Very perceptive Abigail," the dual voiced congratulated. "I had a feeling you'd be the first to catch on, if any."
Numbuh 5 didn't care about his uncouth complement, she continued her glare. The fire now only second priority to this travesty.
"What have you done with Numbuh 1?" Numbuh 4 demanded, "Wheh is he?"
The demon chuckled softly,
"Why, Nigel is right here." He pointed to himself proudly. "Being forced to bare witness all he holds dear falling by his own hands."
Numbuh 4 reeled with confusion. Numbuh 2 gently pulled his friend away from the spreading flame.
"Whot's that supposed ta mean?"
"You took over Numbuh 1's body." Numbuh 5's mind clicked, the answers flooding her sharp mind. "You knew we'd neva' suspect our own leaduh of anythang."
Father made Nigel smirk.
"Again you impress me. But I chose Nigel for more then one reason my dear." The fire suddenly exploded more violently then ever. A rafter nearly crashed onto the stunned Kids Next Door. "But I don't think that should be your top priority at the moment."
The wooden floor began to give way. Flame viscously devouring the tree and everything in it. Numbuh 2 gripped Numbuh 5's wrist.
"We have to get out of here!" He shouted, pulling her out their only exit. She stole one last glimpse of her possessed leader before running for safety.
Father laughed manically, as super villains tend to do in a moment of triumph. His fire dancing around him, reflecting his glee. Even if the Kids Next Door managed to get out alive, their tree house was doomed. They were doomed. He stopped, only upon noticing small trails of steam leaving his eyes. Loosing his flaming aura, he touched a hand to his stolen cheek.
"Tears?" He grinned bemused, "Nigel, have I upset you that much?"
A convulsion was the boy's answer. Somewhere deep inside the occupied body, Nigel tried desperately to regain control. Father snarled and flared up with all his strength until all signs of resistance were gone.
"Don't try fighting me boy." The adult ordered. "We still have so much to do."
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Numbuh 3 shrieked as an ignited bolster nearly crushed the staircase they were on. Numbuh 4 fearlessly kicked it out of their path and pulled her sleeve to keep her moving.
"Come on!" Numbuh 2 urged, the inferno behind them catching up at alarming speed. "This way!" He waved his team toward a small hatch on the wall. A garbage chute. The three smaller troops leaped in, a thankfully thin- enough Hoagie quickly following.
They crashed into the garbage cans that sat outside the Uno residence, landing on top of one another heaped along with the rubbish.
Sad eyes cast skyward at the burning tree above them. Dark ash filling the air, the malodor of soot flowing on the wind. Numbuh 4 bit his lip, not wanting to believe what he was seeing. They had been taken without a fight. A wolf in sacred sheep's clothing had tricked them and blown down their house of sticks. Nothing could be done.
"This isn't happening." He breathed, his pleading green eyes focused on Abby. "Please tell me this is just a bad dream."
"I wish it was, Numbuh 4." She frowned "I really wish it was."
The sound of rocket engines caught their attentions. Looking up they saw Numbuh 1's private space pod take off from the burning launch pad and disappear into the darkening atmosphere.
"Oh no..." Numbuh 5 swallowed fearfully, the realization sinking into her already overwhelmed mind.
"What's going on?" Numbuh 3 asked softly, seeing the fear on her companion's face.
"He's heading for the Moon base." Her capped head lowered. "He's gonna use Numbuh 1 like a Trojan horse and walk right past their adult detection grid."
"We gotta warn 'um!" Numbuh 4 shouted, resolved.
"How?" Numbuh 3 blinked.
Silence. It was a good question.
With their base reduced to firewood they had no way to communicate with their endangered superiors
"We'd betta think of somethan'" Numbuh 5 balled her fist. "Cause thangs are gonna get real bad up there."
To Be Continued...